Sponsored by Knowles Precision Devices

The worldwide electric vehicle (EV) market is exploding in demand and mainstream adoption as governments push for fuel economy improvements and automotive companies look for new market opportunities. According to Forbes, “by 2020, EVs are likely to cost the same as conventional fuel powered equivalents.” Major manufacturers – like General Motors, Toyota, and BMW – plan to release “a mouthwatering potential of 400 models and estimated global sales of 25 million by 2025.” For EV design engineers and purchasing agents, this drive towards increased electrification results in the challenge of finding cutting-edge components that can handle increasing temperatures, voltage, and power without sacrificing reliability, availability, and footprint.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are commonly used in EV electronics and subsystems because of their high temperature ratings, tiny size, and easy surface mount form factor. In order to help you choose the right automotive-grade capacitors for your EV project, this whitepaper discusses the key considerations and certifications for EV components, common use cases in EV subsystems, and capacitor requirements for specific applications.